


The Failed Set Up

by ssajareau



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Blind Date, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-05
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-17 07:42:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29221893
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssajareau/pseuds/ssajareau
Summary: After having enough of the two avoid their feelings for each other and not getting together, Garcia and Luke set JJ and Matt up on a date. But they have no idea that JJ and Matt are already together.
Relationships: Jennifer "JJ" Jareau/Matt Simmons
Kudos: 4





	The Failed Set Up

It was a normal and quiet day for the team, they had no cases and the only thing that they had to deal with was paperwork. Garcia was in the bullpen talking to Luke when the two see JJ and Matt in the breakroom together, having a conversation and hearing their laughs across from Luke’s desk. 

“How are they not together yet? They are just so perfect for each other” Garcia exclaims, pointing her arm towards JJ and Matt. It had been a year since Matt joined the team and during that time he and JJ had grown closer together. Everyone could see how close they had gotten and seeing the two constantly flirt with each other and dance around their feelings for each other. Garcia especially had gotten tired of seeing them avoid their feelings for one other and tried to find ways to get them together. 

“Give it time, they’ll eventually get together.” Luke tells her, trying to calm Garcia down, knowing that she’s been trying to set them up for a while. 

“I know, I just want them to be happy.”, she tells him, still watching JJ and Matt in the breakroom together having their conversation. Just then her eyes light up and gets an idea, “we can set JJ and Matt up on a blind date!” she discloses to him, whispering so no one can hear them.

“And how exactly are you going to do that? Luke inquired, looking at the bright and colourful dressed agent. 

“Easy, I tell JJ that I’m setting her up with someone I know and then you tell Matt that you’re setting him up with an old friend of yours and when they get to the restaurant, they see each other and realise they’ve been set up and spend the night together and then they admit their feelings for each other.” Garcia explained, smiling gleefully as she sets her plan in motion and walks away, heading to her office. 

**————————————**

In the breakroom, JJ and Matt were laughing away and chatting unaware of what was happening behind them with Luke and Garcia. 

“So, last night was fun.” JJ quietly tells him, moving closer to Matt and smirking at him, making sure no one hears them. 

“Oh, you mean when we ended up drinking a whole bottle of wine and eating pizza before falling asleep on the sofa during the movie we were watching” Matt responded quietly. 

The two had secretly been dating for six months ever since Barnes had left them alone when she tried to break apart the team and failed. Matt had asked JJ out and from there it blossomed into a beautiful relationship. Both agreed on keeping their relationship a secret, they knew their friends wouldn’t mind them being together and would be incredibly happy but they both just wanted some privacy and enjoy the first few months of their relationship without anyone knowing about them. They had nearly been caught together a few times, one time involving Garcia coming over to JJ’s apartment whilst Matt was there and he ended up hiding in the bathroom for an hour and the other time, Rossi and Krystall had nearly caught them out on a date together. 

“Well, I enjoyed it, even if we did miss most of the film.” She pointed out, taking a sip of her hot coffee she had just made. “Besides, I liked being in big strong arms.”, exaggerating her hands movements as she says it, making the two let out another laugh. 

“And I enjoyed it too.” Matt tells her, giving her a smile as pours some coffee into his mug. “So my place or your place tonight?” 

“Hmm, how about my place?”

“Sure, I’d love to.” Matt says, looking around to see no one around them and quickly gives JJ a kiss on the cheek before going back to his desk. 

**————————————**

It had been a few hours and Garcia’s plan was already set into motion. She and Luke were able to convince JJ and Matt that they had set them up on a blind date for tomorrow night, when really they tried to get the two to go on a date with each other. 

When JJ and Matt were told about the blind dates, they were both confused and went to find each other so they could talk about what had just happened. 

“So you’re never going to believe what just happened, Garcia set me up on a blind date.” JJ told Matt in confusion, walking over to him when she sees him in the hallway. 

“That’s weird, because the same thing happened to me. Luke said that he was setting me up with one of his old friends.” Matt revealed to her. 

“What’s going on?” JJ asked. Garcia had always tried setting her up on blind dates but she always refused to go on them, only this time Garcia was adamant that she went. 

“I don’t know” Matt tells her, looking around to see Garcia and Luke spying on them and finally realised what was going. “I think I know what's happening.”

Matt quickly takes JJ away so Garcia and Luke can’t spy on them and takes her into Morgan’s old office. “I think Luke and Garcia are trying to get us on a date together.” 

JJ rolls her eyes, not at all surprised by her friends actions, “of course they are, why am I not surprised? They’ve been trying to get us together ever since you joined the BAU. 

“It explains why Luke was so vague with me when he was talking about my ‘blind date’.” Matt tells her, air quoting on the word, blind date. 

“Do you think it’s time we tell the team that we’re together? JJ asked her boyfriend, looking to him to see what they should do. 

Matt thought for a bit and then had the perfect idea. “How about we enjoy this free date our friends set us up on and then get back at them before we tell the team?” Matt suggested, smiling at his girlfriend who happily agrees to his idea. 

**————————————**

It was the night of the blind date and JJ and Matt did what Luke and Garcia told them to do, go to the restaurant where the date is and there they would find each other and pretend to realise that they’re each other’s blind dates. 

Garcia and Luke were watching them from across the restaurant, seeing their plan slowly come together but have no idea that JJ and Matt already have figured out their plans. 

“You think this is going to work? Luke asked Garcia, watching JJ and Matt be seated at their tables and trying to make sure the two don’t spot them. 

“Yes it will, I’m sure of it.” Garcia reassured him as she and him watched their friends on their date. 

On the other side of the restaurant, JJ and Matt were seated at the table, looking through the menu. 

“Don’t look, but I see Garcia and Luke spying on us from across the restaurant.” Matt informs JJ and she can’t help but take a quick look to see the two agents from across the table and luckily they don’t spot anything. 

“Of course, they’re here. I can’t believe they actually thought that we wouldn’t notice them.” JJ points out, not all surprised that Garcia and Luke were watching them. 

“Look let’s enjoy our date and after we can get back at them.” Matt tells her, reaching out for her hand across the table and holding it as the two beam a smile at each other. “Now, do you have any ideas on how we can get back at them?

“I do have an idea but I’ll explain it after we finish dinner” JJ informs him as she takes a sip of her wine and from the corner of her eye, still sees Garcia and Luke still spying on them.

**————————————**

An hour later, the dinner was over and JJ and Matt leave the restaurant with Luke and Garcia and following them and head into Luke’s car that was parked opposite the restaurant. They see JJ and Matt standing outside the restaurant, talking to each other. 

“Do you know what they’re saying?” Luke asks, trying to watch and not be seen by JJ and Matt. 

“How am I supposed to know, Newbie! I can’t hear them.” Garcia explains to him, lowering her voice so they don’t draw attention to themselves. “Just keep watching, I’m sure they’re talking about how great the date was”

JJ and Matt stood outside the restaurant, both having enjoyed their date a lot when JJ’s sees Luke’s car in the distance. 

“They’re watching us again” she tells him as Matt tries to turn around but JJ stops him, knowing that Garcia and Luke will suspect something is up. 

“So shall we carry out our plan?” Matt asks and JJ nods. The two had discussed how they were going to get back at Garcia and Luke during the date and both were ready to now carry out their plan. 

The two pretended to start arguing, knowing Garcia and Luke are watching their plan unfold and can only imagine what their faces look like right now. They continue their fake fight and on cue with a small nod from Matt, JJ slaps him and then pretends to storm off back to her car with Matt going back to his. 

Garcia and Luke sit in the car, faces full of shock on what just happened as they stay silent not knowing what to say, before Luke finally breaks the awkward silence. 

“Well, it looks like their date went great.” He says sarcastically, receiving a slap on the arm from Garcia. 

“What just happened?” Garcia inquired. She thought it was going all well until that last moment. “What were they arguing about?” 

“Whatever it was, it wasn’t good because it resulted in Matt being slapped.” Luke pointed out. 

“They are going to be so mad at us.” Garcia brought up, a frown appearing on her face realising she failed to make her friends happy. 

“What are we going to do? I mean tomorrow at work is going to be incredibly awkward.” Luke explained as he and Garcia stare at each other, trying to figure out the mess they had made.

“Well I’m sure we can figure it out and who knows maybe everything will be fine tomorrow” Garcia hesitantly says as she and Luke worry about what will happen tomorrow. 

**————————————**

It was the next day and Garcia and Luke were in the elevator waiting to go up to the BAU floor, both nervous for what they’re about to face and how they’ll deal with what they’ve done. 

“So, JJ called me last night and she was not happy about that date we set her up on.” Garcia said to Luke. She spent an hour talking to JJ about the date and how awful it was for her and how much she hated it. 

“Yeah, Matt texted me last night saying how I should never set him up on a date ever again.” Luke tells her, letting out an annoyed sigh. Now regretting even being involved in Garcia’s plan. 

The elevator doors opened and the agonising elevator ride was finally over. Garcia and Luke stepped out onto the BAU floor and instead of hearing awkward silence they hear laughter coming from the bullpen, looking at each other in confusion as they wonder what’s going on. As they head into the bullpen they witness the sight of Matt’s arm around JJ’s waist, talking to the team.

“What’s going on?” Garcia asked in confusion as she and Luke approached the team, perplexed as to what’s happening in front of them. 

“You made it, JJ and Matt just announced that they’re together.” Emily explained to them, ushering the two over who are still confused as to what’s going on. 

“So, how long have you guys been dating?” Rossi asked JJ and Matt. 

“We’ve been dating for six months now. We decided to keep it a secret for a bit but now’s the right time to tell you all.” JJ responded as she and Matt gave each other a smile. 

“Aww, we’re so happy for you guys.” Tara told them as the rest of the team except Garcia and Luke, gives the couple their congratulations. 

“Wait, you’ve been dating for six months?” Garcia asked in confusion as JJ and Matt gave her a small nod. “But last night, you were on that blind date and-”

“You and Matt started arguing and you slapped him.” Luke interrupted Garcia, trying to explain and understand what happened. 

“Yep we did, but that was all fake. Me and JJ figured out, you and Garcia were trying to set us up so we decided to get back at you.” Matt explained to them as both, as Garcia and Luke realised that JJ and Matt knew they were behind all of it. 

“Look, we didn’t mean to meddle in your personal lives but we just wanted both of you to be happy.” Garcia revealed 

“As much as we appreciated your kindness in trying to set us up, we were able to get together on our own and I’m sure the others can do the same.” JJ explained to them, knowing full well that Garcia is going to set someone up on a blind date. 

“Hey, I can’t help it. I just want to make my friends happy.” Garcia tells everyone as they all give her a look. “Okay fine, maybe I’ll tone it down a little and I won’t involve Luke in any of it.” With Luke then letting out a sigh of relief when she said she won’t involve him, prompting everyone to laugh. 

“I have to ask, why did you guys choose to get into a fight and JJ slapping you?” Reid asked JJ and Matt as everyone else wondered the same thing. 

“We knew that Garcia and Luke were watching us-.” Matt says with JJ then joining in with him. 

“So we decided to choose to get into an argument because we knew it would freak Garcia and Luke out when they saw it and it worked.” JJ tells them as the rest of the team laughs much to Garcia and Luke’s annoyance. 

“We are so getting you back for that.” Luke retaliated and Garcia nodded in agreement with him. 

The rest of the team laughed over their friends getting into an impending prank war but in the end everyone was happy for JJ and Matt getting together and Garcia and Luke congratulated the happy couple on their relationship. 


End file.
